The relevance of the Research Problem
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of hospital admissions according to the recent studies published by Lareau, Fahy, and Meek (2013). The findings of this study show that this disease is increasingly becoming common not only in the United States but also in other parts of the world. Qaseem et al. (2011, p. 179) define COPD as “a slowly progressive disease involving the airways or pulmonary parenchyma (or both) that results in airflow obstruction.”
This disease is easily preventable, but the kind of lifestyle that people lead and how they are responsible in terms of going for regular health check-ups define their susceptibility to the disease. Most Americans have very limited knowledge about this disease hence do not know what they should do to ensure that they are not affected. In most of the cases, the early symptoms of the disease are often ignored because of the limited knowledge that people have about this disease (Anderson et al., 2016).
Some would ignore these symptoms thinking that they are suffering from the common cold. Others would go for over-the-counter drugs not knowing exactly what they are suffering from, allowing the disease to advance rapidly. A study by Cleary and Serisier (2012) shows that COPD comes second, only to diabetes, as a major reason for hospital admissions in the United States. Scholars have conducted extensive studies to try and find a way in which the prevalence of this disease and its negative impact on people can be significantly reduced. The focus of this paper is to critique systematic reviews.
Critique of Research Rigor and Levels of Evidence
McCurdy, Giacomini, Chandra, and Brooker (2012) conducted an evidence-based review of recent literature that focused on the management strategies of COPD. Their focus was to determine ways of managing its symptoms, and what one can do to avoid acquiring the disease. The literature reviewed in this article was collected from credible sources and most were based on descriptive statistics.
They wanted a clear explanation of the reasons behind the increasing cases of COPD and what can be done by the government, medical experts including nurses, and the public, in general, to ensure that this disease is contained. The researchers collected data from various databases which include MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library. It is also evident that the scholars used several search engines. The validity test conducted in this study demonstrates that it has a high level of evidence and the results can be trusted to give a true reflection of the issues under investigation.
It is evident that the researchers also looked at the diagnosis and effective management of COPD among the veterans. Their initial study had indicated that veterans are some of the groups most affected by COPD because of the nature of their work. After retiring from their service to the country, most of these veterans often take up blue-collar jobs. As such, they are often exposed to pathogens that cause COPD. In this article, the researchers conducted randomized control trials for two years to try and find out how this disease can be managed among the veterans. The level of evidence is satisfactory. They only used peer-reviewed RCT in their SRR
Critique of Clarity of SRR
The clarity of the systematic research review helps in determining how well a given study can be trusted to give accurate results in a particular area of investigation. In the study by McCurdy et al. (2012), the researchers used evidence-based reviews as a way of collecting their data. The scholars clearly stated the sources of their data, how the data was analyzed, and the way their conclusion was arrived at in this study. The use of tables, charts, and figures helps in making it easy to understand the outcomes of the study.
The evidence presented in the research by Anderson et al. (2016) is structured in a tabular form to make it simple to understand specific recommendations on how to manage this chronic disease. Their use of qualification of various factors associated with the management of COPD enables readers to understand to deal with this disease.
The study by Cleary and Serisier (2012) has heavily used descriptive data to explain how to live with COPD positively. The study relied heavily on the use of pictures and figures to demonstrate the path taken by the pathogen and the organs which are affected. It is also clear on the kind of exercise that one should engage in after testing positive of the disease to ensure that complications are avoided as much as possible.
Overall Findings of the SRR
The critiquing of SRR revealed that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is becoming a major public health concern, but the level of knowledge that the public has about it is still low. Cleary and Serisier (2012) say that majority of Americans are not even aware of its existence. That is why many people fail to take precautions when it comes to dealing with this health problem. The disease can be easily avoided if proper precautions are taken, especially among those who are doing blue-collar jobs.
Regular tests of the lungs are highly recommended for those working in blue-collar jobs. Cleary and Serisier (2012) say that once a person has acquired the disease, the only medical solution is to manage the symptoms. Currently, there is no treatment for this disease. Management of the symptoms starts with the patient consciously appreciating the fact that their lifestyle has to change.
The medication is primarily patient-centered. It means that the patient will play a primary role in fighting the symptoms. For smokers, the first step would be to quit the habit to protect the entire respiratory system from further infection. Sometimes it may be necessary for one to change occupation, especially if the current environment may expose one to further infection of the respiratory system.
In instances where the disease is advanced, the patient may require assistive inhalation devices to ensure that they can breathe normally and that they do not become susceptible to other respiratory-related diseases. Healthy eating and regular physical exercise are highly recommended as a way of keeping the lungs healthy. Sometimes the patient may require home oxygen therapy. This therapy is particularly common among the elderly or those with very advanced cases of COPD.
Cleary and Serisier (2012) say that being responsible for one’s health is the best way of managing this disease irrespective of one’s age. Nurses have a role of not only caring for the patients when they are hospitalized but also educating them about the disease. The nurses should ensure that by the time a patient is discharged, they should be fully aware of their condition and how best they can manage it.
The nurses may also enlighten the family and friends of these patients so that they can know how to avoid the disease. The critique reveals that public awareness of COPD is very critical in the fight against the disease. People must be aware of this medical problem and how they can stay safe or manage it with ease in case they are already infected. Achieving success in the fight against COPD will not only help in reducing the government’s expenditure but also reduce the workload of nurses and other medical staff who have to attend to these patients regularly.
Conclusion and Implications
The systematic research review clearly shows that Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is becoming a major public health concern that needs proper attention from the nurses, doctors, the government, the public, and all other relevant stakeholders. The government’s expenditure in the field of healthcare gets inflated when more people are forced to be hospitalized because of this disease.
Nurses and doctors sometimes find themselves overstretched due to the increasing number of patients they have to take care of every day (Anderson et al., 2016). Through a coordinated and collaborative approach, cases of COPD can be significantly reduced in the country. The burden on the government, nurses, doctors, and other health experts shall also be reduced. As suggested above, nurses should take it as their responsibility to increase awareness about the disease and how the general public can ensure that they do not acquire it.
References
Anderson B, Brown, H., Bruhl, E., Bryant, K., Burres, H., Conner, K., Kaderabek, D., Kerestes, G., Kuehn, M., Lim, K., Mrosak, K., Raikar, S., Rickbeil, T., & Westman, K. (2016). Diagnosis and Management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, 10(1), 1-43.
Cleary, M., & Serisier, D (2012). Better Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Patient Guide. The Australian Lung Foundation.
Lareau, S., Fahy, B., & Meek, P. (2013). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care, 171(3), 3-4.
McCurdy, B., Giacomini, M., Chandra, K. & Brooker, A. (2012). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Ontario Health Technology Assessment Series, 12(2), 1–97.
Qaseem, A., Wilt, T., Weinberger, S., Hanania, N., Criner, G., Molen, T., MacDonald, R., & Shekelle, P. (2011). Diagnosis and Management of Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Clinical Practice Guideline Update from the American College of Physicians, American College of Chest Physicians, American Thoracic Society, and European Respiratory Society. American College of Physicians, 155(3), 179-191. Web.